Railway-switch construction.



P. WERTZ. RAILWAY SWITCH CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3, 1911.

1,063,308 Patented June 3, 1913.

wwwsssas E E INVENTOR A ZZZ-v v justable eccentrics.

FRANK WERTZ, OF JOHNSTOWN,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOBATN STEEL COMPANY, 01? J OHNSTOWN,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 19113.

Application fi1ed November 3, 1911. Se ria1No.-658,378.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK VERTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ohnstown, Cambria county, in the State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Railway- Switch Construction, of whichthefollowing is a specification.

-M v invention relates to the construction of railway,switches and'moreparticularly relates to the construction of the mechanism employed inmaintaining the switch points or tongues of a split switch in operativerelation to each other and to the rails of the railway track to whichthe switch is applied in forming a turnout therefrom.

One object of my invention is to provide a split switch constructionhaving novel. means by which the switch points are secured in theirrelative adjusted positions.

Another object of my invention is to provide an adjusting mechanismhaving improved means for relatively adjusting the switch rails incompensating for wear and for securing the adjusted switch rails inplace whereby the necessity of disconnecting the switch rails in makingadjustments thereof is avoided and overcome.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjusting mechanismfor switch rails having improved means for securing the adjustingmechanism together in adjusted positions by the use of which theadjusting operations are facilitated and the time required in making theadjustments is lessened and reduced.

Still further objects of the invention will appear as the invention ismore fully described hereinafter. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspecification. Figure 1 is a longitudinal side elevation, partly insection showing a connecting mechanism as constructed and-applied foruse on a split switch in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is adetail plan of the eccentric forming part of the adjusting mechanism asconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 3 is a detail sideelevation of the eccentric shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail planshowing the top surface of the dab forming part of the forked bridle rodas provided with. recesses or holes forming part of the holdingmechanism for the ad- In the drawings, A designates bridle rods by whichthe switch tongues or switch points B are held in theirspaced apartrelation, the bridle rods having eccentrics C thereon whereby adjustmentof the switch tongues or points B on the bridle rods is made, and thetransversely movable switch tongues B are maintained in positionrelative to each other and to the track rails D of the railway track towhich the split switch is applied in forming a turnout therefrom. The.bridle rods A have forks cent to the points in their length at whichthe switch tongues cross or intersect therewith, and by means of whichthe switch tongues are secured thereto.- In the bridle rod constructionshown, forged metal dabs 2 are secured by rivets 3 to one face of thebridle rods A to form the forks thereon, and an opening or hole 4 isprovided in the free end of the dabs 2. While the bridle rods are shownwith the fork forming dabs secured thereto by rivets, the forks may beformed integrally on the bridle rods, when necessary or desirable, asfor example by forging the bridle rods. The bridle rods also have smallopenings or holes 5 which register with the holes 4 in the free end ofthe dabs 2.

The eccentrics C as shown have a top portion forming a dial 6 which isrecessed in its top face to receive the square head of a bolt 7- andwhich has rectangular recesses 8 in its bottom face on opposite sides ofthe axial center of the eccentric. The eccentries C have integralcylindrical portions 9 concentric with the top portions 6 thereof whichextend through the openings 4 in the dabs 2. and connect. the integralcam portions 10 on the bottoms of the eccentrics with the top portionsor dials 6. The cam portions 10 on the eccentrics project downwardlyinto the openings 11 in one end of the rail clips 19 which are securedon the switch tongues B by bolts 13, the clips 12 being employed insecuring the switch tongues B to the bridle rods A. The bolts 7 areemployed to secure the eccentrics C against vertical movement on thebridle rods, these bolts extending through the axial openings 14 in theeccentrics and through the registering openings 5 in the bridle rods.The square head of the bolts 7 are located in the recesses 15 in the topfaces ofthe dials (3 to prevent turning of the bolts in tightening thenuts 16 on the ends thereof, and cotter pins 17 are placed in the trans-,provided thereon which are located adjae verse holes 18 in the end ofthe bolts 13 to lock the nuts 16 on the bolts.

The top faces of the dabs 2, or. when the forks are formed integral onthe bridle rods, the equivalent top face of the forks are provided witha series of depressions or holes 19 in the upper surfaces thereof, andthe undersurfaces of the dials 6 forming part of the eccentrics areprovided with projections 20 which enter and engage with the openings orholes 19 in the top surfaces of the (labs to prevent rotation of andmaintain the eccentrics C in the various adjusted positions in whichthey are placed. The holes 19 in the top surfaces of the dabs are spacedunequally so that in turning the eccentrics C in the forked ends of thebridle rods A in adjusting the switch points, the adjustments are madein equal amounts.

To facilitate the adjustments, the outer surfaces of the dials (3 on theeccentrics are provided with numerals representing as shown adjustmentsof each eccentric suflicient to vary the distance between the oppositeswitch points or tongues equaling onesixteenth of an inch. Arrows orother marks are provided on the top face of the dial 6 and the uppersurface of the dabs or forks on the bridle rods A and, when it isdesired to lengthen the rod, in order to increase the distance betweenthe opposite switch rails or tongues B connected thereby, the dialis'turned to bring-a larger one of the numerals stamped thereon oppositethe arrow on the fork. To lessen the distance between the switch railsor tongues B the dial is turned in the opposite direction so as to bringa smaller number opposite the arrow on the fork or bridle rod.

It should be noted that in making the adjust-ments it is unnecessary todisconnect the switch rails B from the bridle rods. To

. make an adjustment the nut 16 on the bolt tool is then inserted in oneapparentto those skilled in the art.

7 is slackened suiiiciently to permit the dial 6 to be lifted enough forthe projections 20 on the lower surface thereof to clear the top face ofthe dab 2. The end of a bar or other or the other of the transverserecesses 8 formed in the under surface of the dial 6 and the dial isquickly turned the desired amount to make the requisite adjustment. Thenut 16 is then again tightened to bring the projections 20 on the dialinto engagement with the then registering openings 19 in the-top face ofthe dab 2.

One end of one of the bridle rods A is provided with an extension on oneend by which it is connected in any usual and known manner to the switchlever by which the switch rails are thrown or operated:

The advantages of my invention will be By the novel construction of theadjusting mechanism the switch rails in a split switch, which rapidlybecome worn and require frequent adjustments, are easily and quicklyadjusted to compensate for wear and the adjustments are made withoutdisconnecting the switch rails from the bridle rod.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may bemade without departing from my invention.

The eccentric adjusting mechanism may be employed in securing but oneswitch rail to the bridle rod instead of connecting both switch railswith such adjusting mechanism and other changes may be made within thescope of my invention as defined in the claims.

I claim 1. A railway switch comprising in combination a bridle rodhaving a dab forming a' fork, a switch rail clip whereby said rail .isconnected .to the fork, said dab and rail cliphaving transverse openingstherethrough, a flanged eccentric projecting downwardly into saidtransverse openings, said eccentric being rotatable to adjust the switchrail clip in the fork of said bridle rod, and a bolt extending throughregistering openings in said eccentric and dab to secure the eccentricin place, said dab having a series of irregularly spaced apart holesaround the periphery of the transverse opening therein,

and the eccentric having a pro ection on the under side of the flangethereof arranged to project into'the holes in the dab to hold theeccentric in adjusted position in the dab.

2. A switch rail construction comprising in combination a forked bridlerod having a dab thereon forming the fork, a switch rail clip wherebysaid rail is connected to the bridle rod, said daband rail clip havingregistering transverse openings therein, a flanged eccentric havingreduced portions projecting downwardly respectively into the transverseopenings in the dab and the rail clip, said eccentric being rotatable toadjust the clip relative to the bridle rod, a plurality of holes spacedunequally around the periphery of the transverse opening in said dab,and a plurality of pro ections on the under face of the flange on saideccentric arranged toextend into said holes to hold the eccentricagainst; rotation, and a bolt extending throiwh registering openings inthe eccentric and the bridle rod whereby the eccentric is secured inadjusted position on said bridle rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK lVERTZ. Witnesses W. MILT. BRowN, H. W. SMITH.

